Life Span
Perennial
  
Annual
  
Type
Flowering Plants, Herbs
  
Shrub
  
Origin
Hybrid origin
  
Southern Africa
  
Types
Not Available
  
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
moist forests, Mountains
  
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
  
9-11
  
AHS Heat Zone
9-2
  
12-9
  
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
  
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Clump-Forming
  
Cushion/Mound-forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Purple, Pink, Lavender
  
White
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Not Available
  
Fruit Color
Brown
  
Light Red
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
  
Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
  
Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
  
Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
  
Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
  
Elliptic and Ovate
  
Thorns
No
  
Yes
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Slow
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Summer
  
Indeterminate
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
  
Shade areas
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
  
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Low
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
  
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Pruning
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
  
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
  
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
  
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Shade areas
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Medium
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
No
  
Attracts
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
  
Birds
  
Allergy
Itchiness, Not Available, Sore Throat
  
Toxic
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
  
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
No
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
  
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
  
No Medicinal Use
  
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
  
Flowers, Fruits
  
Other Uses
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
  
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
Yes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
  
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
  
Botanical Name
Averrhoa bilimbi
  
CARISSA macrocarpa
  
Common Name
Bilimbi, Mimbro
  
Carissia
  
In Hindi
Bilimbi
  
Carissa
  
In German
bilimbi
  
carissa
  
In French
bilimbi
  
carissa
  
In Spanish
bilimbi
  
carissa
  
In Greek
bilimbi
  
carissa
  
In Portuguese
bilimbi
  
carissa
  
In Polish
bilimbi
  
carissa
  
In Latin
Rondo Beardtongue
  
carissa
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Oxalidales
  
Gentianales
  
Family
Oxalidaceae
  
Apocynaceae
  
Genus
Averrhoa
  
Carissa
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Carisseae
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Rauvolfioideae
  
Season and Care of Bilimbi and Carissa
Season and care of Bilimbi and Carissa is important to know. While considering everything about Bilimbi and Carissa Care, growing season is an essential factor. Bilimbi season is Spring and Summer and Carissa season is Spring and Summer. The type of soil for Bilimbi is Clay, Loam, Sand and for Carissa is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Bilimbi is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline and for Carissa is Acidic, Neutral.
Bilimbi and Carissa Physical Information
Bilimbi and Carissa physical information is very important for comparison. Bilimbi height is 38.10 cm and width 25.40 cm whereas Carissa height is 90.00 cm and width 60.00 cm. The color specification of Bilimbi and Carissa are as follows:
Bilimbi flower color: Purple, Pink and Lavender
Bilimbi leaf color: Green
Carissa flower color: White
- Carissa leaf color: Dark Green
Care of Bilimbi and Carissa
Care of Bilimbi and Carissa include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Bilimbi pruning is done cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves and Carissa pruning is done Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves and Remove dead or diseased plant parts. In summer Bilimbi needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Carissa needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.